


Doctor Who and the Gentleman Ghost

by HeyMrSandman



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), Doctor Who & Related Fandoms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2020-12-14 23:20:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21023882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeyMrSandman/pseuds/HeyMrSandman
Summary: The Doctor, desiring nothing more than a few days reprieve from UNIT's supervision, heads off to the quaint village of Tadmire Grove. But instead of a peaceful weekend, he finds himself embroiled in a ghostly tale with a group of larger than life Americans...





	1. Reservations

The Doctor pulled up across the street from the bed and breakfast in his canary yellow roadster, Bessie. He stepped out of the old car and, with a quick application of his sonic screwdriver, ensured that no thief could get it to start. Far better security than a key, though he used one too, simply because he liked the ritual of it.

Taking a moment to straighten out his jacket, the Doctor regarded the bed and breakfast. It was an aging building, charming in its own way. The bright, cheap paint was chipping and peeling. The windows had been kept sparkling clean, so much so that the tiny **VACANCIES** sign was quite clear even at this distance. The Doctor hefted his suitcase free from Bessie, and set across the road.

He didn’t stop to wait and look for traffic. The tiny village of Tadmire Grove was still far too rural and quaint to have much in the way of motor vehicles. The children had gazed adoringly at Bessie from the windows of their schoolhouse, and the Doctor had graced them with a toot of the horn. Trapped on Earth he may be, but stepping into Tadmire Grove was almost like stepping back in time. Coming to the front door of his lodgings for the weekend, the Doctor tried the handle, only to find the door locked. Unperturbed, he tried the heavy brass ring upon the door.

It soon opened a fraction, and the broad, rough face of a bald man greeted him. “Hello, good sir, my name is the Doctor, and I have a reservation. May I come in?” The Doctor asked, deciding to allow the man his eccentricities, even if they did seem rather rude. The man simply grunted and opened the door wider. The Doctor stepped through, and the man closed the door behind him, only to wander off to a chair in the corner where an open book and bottle of beer waited. _Now_ this man was beginning to irritate him.

“Excuse me sir, but I wish to check in to this establishment.” the Doctor said, raising his voice. He was dangerously close to putting his hands on his hips. His little weekend break away from UNIT was not beginning well. “Please, don’t mind him, sir,” came an American accent from the counter. The Doctor turned to see a blonde woman at the desk.

“Do you have a reservation?” The Doctor approached the desk and set down his suitcase.

“Yes, it’s under the name of ‘the Doctor’. I’m assured that somebody telephoned ahead.” The blonde woman consulted the guest list while a dark-haired man attempted to fix a radio behind her.

“Doctor...Doctor...Doctor who, sorry?” she asked, looking at him with clever eyes.

“Just the Doctor.” he said, smiling. At least somebody in this place had some manners. “If I may say, what a charming accent you have there. American, if I’m not mistaken?”

“You are not, just the Doctor. I’m from Star City.” she replied, before slamming her finger down on the page and smiling a sly smile. “There you are, room three. Don’t know how I missed it.”

“Star City?” The Doctor said, almost on reflex. “Now that’s most puzzling. I...I don’t think I know that one.”

The woman just shrugged. “It’s a big country, doc. Mister Rory will help you to your room.” With that, the bald man gave a grunt and reluctantly set down his copy of _The Legend of Sleepy Follow_ and stomped over to the desk.

He took the Doctor’s suitcase in a gloved hand and said “This way.” in a gravelly voice.

“One moment please, dear fellow,” The Doctor said. The bald man grunted, but stayed where he was standing. The Doctor turned back to the American woman. “Thank you, miss…?” “Lance. Sara Lance.” said Sara Lance. 

After Rory had stomped off with the mysterious Doctor in tow, Sara turned to Ray. “Now there’s a suspicious man if ever I saw one, and I’ve seen John Constantine when he’s lost the tv remote.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Ray beamed from over by the broken radio. “He seemed quite dapper and charming to me. Almost had a secret agent vibe to him.”

Sara rolled her eyes, though not in any real frustration. Ever the trusting boy scout. “Well if he was a secret agent, he’d be using a pseudonym, not a codename. Still, we’d best keep an eye on him. Maybe he knows something about the Gentleman Ghost of Tadmire Grove.”


	2. Room Service

The Doctor had much to ponder as Mister Rory led him to his room. The Doctor _knew_ that he knew every city in America. Unless something had gone very wrong in the timeline, that young American was lying. And here he was, unable to hop in his TARDIS and sort it all out even if he wanted to. And then there was the strange case of the young man behind the counter, attempting to create a broad band spectral emitter out of the simple household radio. Not a difficult job, so long as you had a drop of dwarf star alloy, but not a task your average twentieth century handyman should be attempting.   
  
Mister Rory held out an arm to stop him, and the Doctor very nearly went tumbling into the great big lug. At the end of Mister Rory’s arm was the Doctor’s suitcase, now being thrust back into his arms. “Here,” Mister Rory said, turning to hold up a heavy brass key. “Your room. Dinner’s in an hour.”   
  
Before the Doctor could so much as protest, Mister Rory stomped off down the corridor. “I’d like to thank you for your help, old chap, only I’m not sure you’ve given any,” the Doctor called after him as Mister Rory disappeared around the corner, then he muttered to himself. “What an intolerable man. An American, too.”   
  
His room was satisfactory, at least. The bed was clean and was appropriately springy, he had his own television set, and the en suite bathroom looked nice enough, if a bit cramped and poorly lit.

Stepping back into his room, he saw a woman dressed as a maid step into his room. She didn’t seem to notice him, being far too busy with exaggerated sneaking footsteps. “Can I help, young lady?” the Doctor asked.

“Oh! Sorry sir, I just came to…” she looks about wildly, trying to find fault with the immaculately kept room. She settles for pulling something off her cart in the hallway, sight unseen. “Bring you your...complimentary newspaper!”

The Doctor took the paper, if only to give him time to work out just what she was trying to attempt. “Excuse me miss, you say you were bringing me this paper?”

“Yes sir, we give all our customers copies of the…” she peers over his shoulder at the paper’s name. “Tadmire Tattler!”

The Doctor regards her carefully. If she is some kind of suspicious character, she doesn’t seem especially competent at whatever it is she’s attempting. “Quite, only this paper is dated yesterday, miss…?” he says, pointing out the date.

“Oh,” says the young woman, not seeming to quite grasp the problem at first. “Oh! Well that’s because...today’s paper is really boring. This is the one you want, I mean look at that headline! _Gentleman Ghost Strikes Again_! Oh, and I’m Mona, by the way. Mona Wu.” She offered her hand. The Doctor shook it.

Typical UNIT, even when the Doctor finally elects to take a holiday away from it all, they still find a mystery to rope him into. “Charmed, I'm sure. Miss Wu, if your compatriots require my aid they need only ask. They knew full well I was to be staying here this weekend. This skullduggery is unnecessary.”

Mona’s eyes grew wide. “You mean you know?”

The Doctor frowned, setting the paper aside. “Yes, of course. I’ve worked with our mutual friends in an advisory capacity for a number of years now.”

“Sorry,” Mona said, looking embarrassed. “I’m kinda new. Do you want me to take you to where we’re based?”

“Please,” the Doctor said, forcing a smile. “Lead on.”


	3. The Legends

Mona led the Doctor back to the reception area, behind the now unoccupied counter, and into a cramped office where the three from earlier were gathered. Rory was passed out in a chair, glasses askew and half-empty beer bottle in hand. Sara and Ray were busy pouring over a crudely drawn map of the area. When Mona entered with the Doctor, Sara flew into action. A knife appeared in her hand, seemingly from nowhere, thrust towards the Doctor.

  
“Dear me, what a rude welcome.” the Doctor sighed, placing his hands on his hips and letting his cape drape imposingly behind him. This international delegation of UNIT operatives were far from the calibre he’d come to expect.

“What’s he doing here, Mona?” Sara demanded, her eyes fixed on the Doctor.

“He said he knew you guys, and he wanted to help with the ghost,” Mona said, puppy dog eyes moving from Sara to the Doctor and back again. “Oh no, did I screw up already?”

“It’s quite alright Miss Lance, I work with UNIT in an advisory capacity.” the Doctor said, stepping into the room with his customary air of authority.

“Who the hell’s UNIT? And how did you know we’re looking for the Gentleman Ghost?” Sara demanded, holding the knife firm as the Doctor drew closer.

“Please, could we put that down?” the Doctor asked, gently laying his left hand over Sara’s wrist, though she resisted his efforts to lower her arm. Nothing for it then, the Doctor thought, and seized her wrist, pressing his thumb into a hidden pressure point.

Sara winced, dropping the knife to the floor. The Doctor pressed forward with his right arm, intending to land a disabling blow to her neck, but Sara’s left hand swatted his away, and now the Doctor found her to be holding a second knife, this one held to his throat.

The stomp of heavy boots and the whine of a heat chamber led the Doctor to believe that Rory had stood behind him and levelled some sort of miniature flamethrower at his back.

“Whoah, hey, let’s take it easy guys!” said Ray, wild eyed and desperately trying to interpose himself between Sara and the Doctor.

“You’re good,” Sara said, with a look on her face that brooked no argument. “Now let me go.”

The Doctor released his hold on Sara’s wrist, and she took the knife away from his throat. “Venusian Aikido,” the Doctor explained, straightening his collar. “And you might want to tell the fellow behind me that his little pyrotechnical device would be a poor idea in this enclosed space.”

“League of Assassins,” Sara answered, then gave a slight nod. “Rory, stand down.” Rory lowered his gun.

“So you’re not with UNIT then? Some kind of heavily armed paranormal investigation squad?” The Doctor asked. “Scooby Doo with firearms? No, that’s a positively ludicrous idea.”

“Oh my gosh, we’re _totally_ Mystery Inc! Dibs on Scooby!” Mona called, face alight with glee.

“Ooh, and I’m Velma!” Ray said, before recovering with “Except like, a boy Velma. You know.” Oh yes, that silly old gender binary. The Doctor couldn’t wait for the humans to outgrow it.

“We’re called the Legends, and we’re not part of any UNIT,” Sara said in a voice the Doctor took to mean ‘behave, children’. “But you say you’re some kind of advisor on these sorts of cases?”

“A scientific advisor, yes. As such, I feel I must inform you that there is no such thing as ghosts.” The Doctor said, leaning onto the desk with his knuckles.

“You wanna back off my map, grandpa?” Sara said, more threat than request.

“He’s not a ghost, more of a quantum entangled sentience kept out of phase thanks to exposure to Nth Metal.” Ray offered, by way of explanation.

“Nth Metal?” the Doctor asked, backing off of Sara’s table.

“Space rocks. They’re all...invigorated. Makes you live forever. Except we blew them up ‘cause the Englishman told us too.” Rory said, before swigging on his by now thoroughly warm beer.

The Doctor turned to face him, then he turned back to Sara. “Does he mean irradiated?” She gave him a nod that also seemed to double as an apology for her companion.  
“But you say you’re a scientist, Doctor! So am I! Well, more of an engineer. We...lost our physicist.” Ray said, enthusiasm giving way to sadness.

“That doesn’t make sense, my dear boy, there are no radiation signatures in this galactic sector that could imbue a fellow with an extended lifespan.” the Doctor said, glad to find some scientific footing for this discussion, and somebody who at least sounded like he knew what he was saying.

“But he is here!” Mona insisted, marching herself right up into the Doctor’s face. “I’ve seen him! Every night, he rides into town, just like the Headless Horseman, as if he’s searching for something.”

“We’ve been trying to make a chart of his appearances, but they don’t seem to make much sense.” Sara said, gesturing to their crude map in frustration.

“Can I ask why you’re using that and not an ordnance survey map?” The Doctor asked.

“A what?” Sara demanded.

“Ordnance Survey map. They’re common enough. The local shop should carry one.” The Doctor replied.

“I sent Rory out to find a map and all he came back with was beer. He said there were none.” Sara said, voice like ice.  
Rory burped. “Must have missed it.” he shrugged.

Amateurs. The Doctor did not relish this little adventure in the making. “I’ve one in my car, I shall go fetch it.”

The Doctor stepped outside, Sara following behind him. It seemed he wasn’t to be let out of her sight. No matter, the Doctor had dealt with mistrust before. The two of them crossed the road as the sun dipped below the horizon, and the Doctor leant over to open the glove compartment where he kept his map.

A high, loud, whinny struck up behind them. The Doctor turned to see a phantasmal image of a Victorian dandy astride a horse. Man and beast road past, seeming not to even notice the two of them.”Now do you believe me, Doctor?” asked.


	4. Time Team

“This makes no sense,” the Doctor babbled, attempting to compose himself. “I’ve crossed the void beyond the mind. The empty space that circles time. I see where others stumble blind. Ghosts simply do not exist.”

“Got you rattled, huh grandpa?” Sara said, reaching out to steady the Doctor. “Don’t worry, this is a pretty average Tuesday for us.”

By now, the Doctor had recovered himself somewhat. He pulled himself from Sara’s grip and straightened his jacket. “My dear girl, it is simply an illusion. Some projector drone or telepathic trick being played on us.”

“Yeah no, we’re not doing the ‘my dear girl’ thing. It’s Captain Lance.” Sara said, those clever eyes turning stern.

“And I am not your grandfather, Captain. Shall we retire to your office?” the Doctor said with a polite smile and a b&b-ward gesture.

“OK Scooby squad, add another sighting to this,” Sara called, walking into the office and dropping the ordnance survey map onto the desk. “Right outside our very own front door.” Ray and Mona scrabbled to the task, coloured pens in hand.

“Tell me we’re not keeping the old man. All the Englishmen we meet are nothing but trouble.” Rory said, looking the Doctor square in the eye as he opened another beer with his thick-gloved hand.

“I must say I have difficulty taking the word of an old soak who believes in ghost stories. Captain, is it standard procedure in your organisation to let such lax standards pass muster?” The Doctor asked, not allowing himself to be cowed.

“We’re not really big on formality. Even then, Rory’s a...special case.” Sara admitted.

“Then what precisely is this organisation of yours?” The Doctor asked. The Americans all exchanged significant glances with each other. The seconds grew longer.

“We’re not exactly...from around here.” Ray began.

“You don’t say.” the Doctor replied.

“We’re time travellers.” Sara said matter-of-factly. It was clear that everybody in the room expected that to get a big reaction from him, but it was all the Doctor could do to stifle his laughter.

“Really?” he asked in his best incredulous voice, raising his eyebrows as high as he dared.

“I-I thought we weren’t telling people that.” Ray said, attempting to gather himself.

“At least I didn’t mess that part up?” Mona ventured.

“Honestly you’re doing great.” Ray reassured her.

“Yes, really,” Sara said to the Doctor before turning back to Mona and reassuring her “You’re doing fine.”

“Tell me, Captain Lance, which organisation do you work for?” the Doctor asked, leaning in to whisper conspiratorially.

“Our first Captain was a Time Master, we’re sort of...freelance.” Sara answered.

“Good samaritans.” Rory said with a mocking smile.

“Is it important?” Ray asked. The Doctor considered telling them everything there and then, but he didn’t feel ready to trust them with the information yet. Best to work with the Captain to try to keep them leashed, he thought.

“Quite, but for now, we have a ghost to catch.”


	5. The Gang Splits Up

They went to the library.

“The hell are we even doing?” Rory demanded, scattering a pile of weather reports off the table with a sweep of his powerful arm.

“It’s like the Doctor said, the ghost’s been in the area for about a month now, so we should look to see if anything else has changed that might help us track him down.” Mona said, neatly stacking her own papers before bending down to tidy up Rory’s.

“Not to worry Mick! We come bearing refreshments.” Ray said as he set down a tray of tea and biscuits. “Had to sweet talk the librarian, but I think Glenda really took a shine to me.”

“You mean I’ve been sitting here reading rainfall records while you were out flirting and getting,” Rory stopped as he picked a biscuit off the plate and examined it, then continued the shouting. “What the hell are these? I thought you said biscuits!”

“Well Mick, over here in jolly old England they call cookies ‘biscuits’! These are custard creams and if I might say, they’re quite moorish.” Ray replied, breezing right past Rory’s anger.

Rory growled and stood, the better to storm off, which he promptly set about doing.

“Sara, do something!” Ray pleaded.

“Mick, where are you going?” she asked, not looking up from her copy of last month’s Tadmire Tattler.

“To get something better than tea and biscuits!” he shouted back.

“‘Kay, be back by dinner.”

“Don’t worry about him, old chap,” the Doctor said, patting Ray on the shoulder as he rounded the corner, a thick file under his other arm. “We’re better off without his particular talents, whatever they may be. Why don’t you go and smooth things over with the librarian, hm?”

“You’re right Doctor, I’ll go take care of it.” Ray replied, taking his leave.

“Here’s the file you requested, Miss Wu.” the Doctor said with a smile, handing over the manilla folder.

“Thanks Doc.” she smiled back at him.

“Mick’s an ass but he does have a point, why are we going through all this junk? It’s not our usual style.” Sara asked, setting down her paper and taking her leg off the table to better eye the Doctor.

“And your usual style has thus far not yielded you any results. Perhaps approaching matters in a scientific fashion will work better.” The Doctor said, not looking at Sara as he poured out four cups of tea. “Your Gentleman Ghost arrived a month ago, but your team chased him through the temporal vortex and arrived a week ago. Evidently, some other factor was involved. This is the best avenue of finding it.”

“And what exactly do you think we’ll find here that we can’t find by going out there?” Sara said, her voice raising and hand gesturing. She didn’t like this research any more than Mick.

“Shut up.” Mona said, eyes still on the file.

“Excuse me?” Sara demanded.

“Sorry but, no, shut up. I’ve found something. In the local observatory’s records.” Mona said, sliding the file over to Sara.

“What am I looking at?” Sara asked, eyes scanning the files.

“This guy got all ghosty when he got exposed to Nth Metal right? And that’s from meteors so I looked for any because I thought-” Mona began.

“What if a meteor got sucked into the time vortex when we were chasing him through and landed here?” Sara finished.

“Maybe he’s staying in town to track down whatever happened to it?” Mona asked. Instead of answering, Sara turned to the Doctor, who was quite happily sipping his tea.

“This is what you brought us here to find, wasn’t it?” she asked.

“It did seem the most logical answer.” The Doctor answered.

“It’s getting dark, we’d best get over there.” Sara said, and the three of them stood and started heading for the exit.

“Hey guys, what’s happening?” Ray asked, seeing them pass. “We taking a research break?”

“Nope, Doc and Mona solved it. Clean up here and meet us back at the bed and breakfast.” Sara said as she walked past.

“And continue work on that emitter of yours, hm?” the Doctor said with a wink. 


	6. EVERYTHING IS FINE

He was so caught up in his thoughts that Ray almost didn’t notice Glenda sat at the front desk. She was such a kind old lady, taking on four strangers as staff at such short notice. Ray felt bad about deceiving her. “Hello Mrs Glink,” Ray said, “Sorry we left so suddenly but one of our guests had a...library emergency we had to help him with.”

“Don’t worry about it, dear,” she smiled, looking at him from under her chunky glasses “Another of your American friends came here looking for you all. He’s taking supper at the moment.”

“Really? That’s...strange. I’ll go see him.” Ray wondered who it could be as he walked down the narrow corridor to the dining room. He hoped it was Nate, he could use a hug right now.

“Nate?!” despite his hopes, he still couldn’t quite believe it. There was Nate Heywood, sat alone at a table surrounded by other diners.

“Ray Palmer! Come on, come sit with me.” Nate said, patting the seat next to him.

Ray stepped closer but didn’t sit down. “Sorry, kinda working here right now, can’t go sitting down on the job.”

“Come on man, who’s to know?” Nate said.

“The other guests might-” Ray started.

“What other guests?” Nate asked. Ray turned to point out the Harrisons and Mr Marius and the Cooper sisters, but they all seemed to have ...left. Very quickly and very quietly?

“But they were just here…” Ray said, “Where did they all go?”

He turned back to Nate, who was now just inches from his face. “Don’t worry big guy, everything’s gonna be alright.”


End file.
